Last modified: Mon Nov 18 00:18:33 2002 by Jeff Bigler

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Over the Top

Source: Written in 2000 by Jeff Bigler (MOTley Morris).

Tune: Over the Top, by Jeff Bigler, as (AB)5 with repeats (A=figures, B=sticking).


Formation: a square set of 4, each with one long stick.

Sequence: dance on & rounds, chorus, staggered back-to-back, chorus, J-loops, chorus, "choo-choo", chorus, bombast, final chorus & off

Stepping: skipping step (single steps) throughout.

Chorus: during the first two bars, first corners clash HF-LB-HF-LB (HF = "high, forehand"; LB = "low, backhand") while second corners dib-toss-dib-toss. ("Dib" means hit the butt of the stick on the ground. Tosses are over the first corners' low clashes.) During the next two bars, hitch (in place), all clash into the center and pass through to your corner's place. Then repeat the chorus with the first corners dibbing & tossing while the second corners clash. On the final chorus, keep skipping outwards after the all-in clash until the music finishes.

Staggered Back-to-Back: Each dancer faces toward the center of the set. In the first bar, the first corners change places, passing by the right shoulder. In the secord bar, the second corners do the same. In the third bar, the first corners return home (backwards), passing by the left shoulder. In the fourth bar, the second corners do the same. Repeat, passing by the left shoulder first and then returning by the left.

J-loops: Pass right shoulders with partner, cross back-to-back behind them, and dance back into a line on the center-line of the set. Hitch back into a position facing partner, and then pass right shoulders again. Cross over into the opposite place. Flourish the stick and turn over your right shoulder to face back into the set in your partner's original place. Repeat to get back to your original place.

Choo-choo: Relative to the center point of the set, each dancer turns 90 degrees left. Everyone should be looking in a direction that's diagonal to the "lines" of the square set. Dance forward along this line for one bar (two skips), then turn around but keep moving in the same direction, moving backward for one more bar (two skips). Reverse direction and move forward for two bars (four skips), clashing on the downbeat of the second bar (beat 7, if you're counting 2 beats to a bar). You're now at the halfway point.

Continue forward along this line for one more bar (two skips), then turn around but keep moving in the same direction, moving backward for one bar (two skips). Reverse direction and move forward for two bars (four skips), to arrive home (without a clash).

Bombast: Each dancer moves one place anti-clockwise (counterclockwise) around the square and then turns out. First corners (the diagonal pair that includes the person closest to the musician's right hand) move up & down the lines directly, but second corners first pass right shoulders in the middle of the set and then move from there to their new places. Repeat 3 more times (do it a total of 4) to get back to your original place.


Acknowledgements: Thanks to the Bassett Street Hounds for the layout, which I copied from their pages.